New portable speakers from Philips add some physical pop to your music
Bluetooth speakers are a dime a dozen these days, so new products need an extra bit of zing to make an impression on us. Or, in the case of the Philips FL3X speaker from Woox Innovations, a pop. The FL3X is a pocket-sized circular speaker with sides that can be pulled out, transforming it from a disc into a small cylinder that delivers richer bass than many similar-sized portable speakers.
Getting the speaker to expand is a bit tricky at first -- there are no notches or grooves to insert your fingers into, so pulling out the sides requires a good grip and a bit of patience. But once the FL3X is fully extended, the difference in sound quality is apparent, with music and other audio taking on a deeper, more resonant quality. The speaker also includes an anti-clipping function to eliminate distortion and it seemed to work -- no matter how loud the music got, there was no noticeable crackling or tinniness.
If the FL3X is a little too big or a little too round for you, Woox and Philips have also unveiled the PIX3L. It's a small, rounded cube with one corner cut off -- the better to aim sound directly at you, rather than pointing it at a wall or ceiling. Like the FL3X, the PIX3L also includes anti-clipping to keep it sounding good at high volumes, and even a microphone for making phone calls.
Both speakers will hit shelves in March, with the FL3X going for $50, while the smaller PIX3L will cost $40.
